Also, I do agree with you that any conference would want Notre Dame as a full member. I do think the ACC, Big XII, and maybe the Pac-12 would agree to have Notre Dame as a non-football member. Honestly, I am on the fence about whether it is a good thing for a power conference to have a non-football member, who happens to play football as an Independent in the same subdivision.

I understand why the Big East and the ACC did it and I do think both conferences have gained something from the relationship. However, from a PR standpoint the partial member kinda makes those conferences look "weak" and maybe even "desperate" because the conference was "willing to cave" on a partial membership instead of holding firm to the all-or-nothing position. Now if the other power conferences had accepted partial membership in football and/or men's basketball, then I don't think the ACC and Big East would be perceived as being "weak" or "desperate."